Four

 

“Joshy, wake up!”  Chris sang, bouncing on the edge of JC’s bed.

 

“Jayceeeeeeee,” Justin chimed in, bouncing on the other side.

 

“You guys are lucky I like your boyfriends, or I’d kill you both,” JC growled, tugging the covers up over his head.

 

“Get your lazy ass outta bed, boy.” Chris slapped at JC’s tiny backside.  “Up up up!”

 

“Lance made breakfast,” Justin said.

 

“So?”

 

“Blueberry banana pancakes,” Justin added.  The covers moved an inch.

 

“Blueberry banana?”

 

“And we have whipped cream,” Chris said, giggling.  “If Justin and Nick didn’t use it all, that is.”

 

“Shut up,” Justin said, grabbing one of JC’s pillows and pelting Chris in the face.

 

“Hey!”  Chris yelled, and began to retaliate.

 

When AJ opened the door, Justin and Chris were in a full out pillow war while JC cowered under the covers.  “What’s going on in here?”

 

“Help!”  JC said feebly.

 

“To the rescue!”  AJ yelled, striding into the room.  “You wussy NSYNC boys are no match for me.  I have years of wrestling with Nick under my belt.”  AJ began to tickle any body that he came into contact with.  Justin yelped and rolled off the bed.  Chris jumped up and began to wail on AJ with the pillows. “You okay, JC?” AJ asked.

 

“Except that you’re pretty much sitting on my chest, yes,” JC said.  AJ scurried away, fighting off Chris.

 

“Out.  OUT!”  AJ yelled.  “Timberlake, I’ll tickle you to death if you don’t take the hyper one and run!”

 

“Okay, okay!”  Justin grabbed Chris by the shirt. “C’mon, Chris. It won’t be OUR fault if we eat all the pancakes and JC doesn’t get any.”

 

Chris slammed the door behind them.  JC carefully peeled back the covers. “Are they gone?”

 

“Yeah.  You’re safe now,” AJ said, patting JC’s bare shoulder.

 

“My Backstreet Boy in shining armor,” JC said, faking adoration.  AJ flexed a skinny arm.

 

“All in a day’s work, my damsel.  Lance seriously did make some excellent-smelling pancakes down there, though.”

 

“I’ll be down in five.”  JC sat up and ran a hand through his messy hair.

 

“Okay.”  AJ stood up and left the room.

 

 

 

“Lance, I love you,” JC sighed as he sat down at the table.  Lance served him a plate full of pancakes.  “I may marry you.”

 

“You may not,” Chris snapped. “That fine gourmet Bass Ass is mine, brother.”

 

“Excuse me, I think it’s MY ass and I’ll do with it what I choose,” Lance replied.

 

“I don’t want his ass. I just want the gourmet part.”  JC hungrily bit into a pancake.  He took a look at Nick’s plate and froze.  “What is that?”

 

“Huh? Oh. Peanut butter and maple syrup,” Nick said.  JC looked at Lance, then Chris. All three of them looked at Justin, then slowly stared at Nick.

 

“Peanut butter?” Lance asked.

 

“And maple syrup?” Chris asked.

 

“Uh, yeah. It’s what I always eat on pancakes,” Nick explained. Brian and AJ nodded in agreement.

 

“You ruined Lance’s amazing Blueberry Banana pancakes with peanut butter and syrup?” JC asked.  Nick shrugged, then nodded.  They looked at Justin again.

 

“What?  I didn’t hook up with him for his culinary tastes.”

 

“Or lack thereof,” JC mumbled around his pancake, and Brian laughed.

 

 

 

“This is my favorite part of the day,” Chris said, vigorously covering Lance in coconut-scented sunscreen.  “I love to touch my boy in public!”

 

“Did you ever have one of these?” Lance sighed, looking at Brian and AJ.

 

“Once, but they caught him and put him back in the mental hospital,” AJ answered.  “And then I had my shots, you know, and I knew I was gonna be okay.”

 

Lance snorted with laughter and Chris smacked his ass, hard.  “Okay, you can go play now,” Chris said in a fatherly tone.  Justin and Nick were already in the water.  The beach was full of people from the other large houses nearby, so public displays of affection needed to be kept at a minimum.  Lance kissed his fingertip, touched Chris’ shoulder and walked towards the water.

 

“How cute,” AJ said, smiling.

 

“God, how I love that man,” Chris sighed, and they knew he was being perfectly serious.  “Okay. I am off to dunk the babies.”  Chris pulled off his shirt and headed for the water.

 

“AJ?”  Brian tossed AJ the sunscreen and AJ quickly covered Brian’s back and shoulders. “Y’all coming in?”

 

“In a minute,” AJ said.  Brian ran down to the water’s edge.  “JC?”

 

“I’m not much for the water,” JC said. “I like to look at the ocean, but I prefer to do my swimming in a pool.”

 

“I see.  You okay being here alone?” AJ asked, standing.

 

“Sure.  I’ll probably end up sketching some, anyway.” JC motioned to his sketch pad.

 

“Oh, yeah. I heard you liked to draw. Mind if I look?”  JC shrugged, blushing slightly.  AJ picked up the sketch book and flipped through it. “Wow,” AJ said.  “You are really good, JC.”

 

“I’m just okay,” JC said modestly.

 

“No, I mean it.” AJ looked at pictures of Lance, Chris, Justin, Joey, and even Nick, Brian and himself.  He stared at the likeness of the face he saw in the mirror every day.  JC had captured the curls at the nape of his neck, the dark lines of facial hair, and the scribbles of tattoos up and down his slender arms.  “I’m really impressed.”

 

“Thanks.”  JC took the sketch book and AJ went down to the water.  JC watched the water for a long time, then began to draw.

Five